The year is 1549 and you are the Queen of your land. You are supporting your King and country and are happy to do whatever is needed to make this happen. Suddenly, another kingdom decides that they want to take over your land. Your husband, the king, and your family must go off to fight.
You are expected to stay home and wait for the fighting to end. Would you be able to do that? Or would you disguise yourself so that you could fight and protect your family? The latter is exactly what Queen Suriyothai did.
Not much is known about Queen Suriyothai’s life outside the battle that she died in. Much of the history that was recorded was pieced together many years after her death, and, as with many of the women in this column, we miss out on much about her life due to the very few records offered to women in history.
Suriyothai married King Maha Chakkrapha before he was King and went by the name of Prince Tien. She had five children with him and he was made King of the Ayutthaya Kingdom in Siam, now Thailand, in 1548.
At this time, there were rival dynasties that fought for power and control of the lands. Because of this, there was a lot of unrest in the area. In 1549, the Myanmar army attacked. This was the first of many wars between the Siam and Kingdom of Myanmar that would continue on until the mid-1800s.
King Chakkrapha, sitting atop an elephant, led his army into battle. Two of their sons also joined the fight. Queen Suriyothai could not sit and watch, so she dressed as a male soldier and also rode into battle on top of an elephant.
The King’s elephant stumbled and put him in danger. Seeing this, Queen Suriyothai raced to save her husband. She sacrificed herself by being fatally struck by a blade. This allowed her husband to escape and finish fighting: after the battle was won, he was able to retrieve the Queen’s body. Her daughter, who had also accompanied her into battle, was also fatally wounded.
After her death, King Chakkrapha wanted to honor his wife who had given up her life for him. He had the Chedi Sri Suriyothai built and that is where Queen Suriyothai’s ashes were laid to rest.
Today, people can visit The Queen Suriyothai Monument in Thailand which is believed to be placed on the land the Queen killed in the battle. The film, The Legend of Suriyothai, was released in August 2021 and commissioned by Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand. Films like this, that breathe life into brave women like Suriyothai, are vital in keeping the few stories we know of them alive in the public consciouness.
Academics have called into question the accuracy of the story and when the Chedi Sri Suriyothai was built. Regardless of the accuracy, the story endures and shows what women can do, and is part of a strong tradition of women honored in Thailand.
References:
– Bloks, Moniek. 2020. “Suriyothai – the Queen Who Died in Battle.” History of Royal Women. April 22, 2020. https://www.historyofroyalwomen.com/suriyothai/suriyothai-the-queen-who-died-in-battle/.
– Jirattikorn, Amporn. “Suriyothai: Hybridizing Thai National Identity through Film.” Inter-Asia Cultural Studies 4, no. 2 (2003): 296–308. doi:10.1080/1464937032000113015. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1464937032000113015
– “Somdet Phra Suriyothai Monument.” n.d. Www.tourismthailand.org. Accessed May 26, 2024. https://www.tourismthailand.org/Attraction/somdet-phra-suriyothai-monument.
– Madmonarchist. 2013. “The Mad Monarchist: Consort Profile: Queen Suriyothai of Siam.” The Mad Monarchist. October 10, 2013. https://madmonarchist.blogspot.com/2013/10/consort-profile-queen-suriyothai-of-siam.html.
– “Queen Suriyothai, Who Throws Herself to Save the Ayutthaya Kingdom.” 2024. Mekongsustainabletourism.com. 2024. http://www.mekongsustainabletourism.com/en/contents/238?ckattempt=2.
– Review of FIRST BURMESE–SIAMESE WAR. 2024. 2024. https://history-maps.com/story/History-of-Myanmar/event/First-Burmese-Siamese-War.
– May, Ken. 2009. “History of Ayutthaya – Temples & Ruins – Chedi Sri Suriyothai.” Www.ayutthaya-History.com. September 2009. https://www.ayutthaya-history.com/Temples_Ruins_ChediSuriyothai.html.
– May, Ken. 2010. “History of Ayutthaya – Historical Sites – Queen Suriyothai Monument.” Www.ayutthaya-History.com. January 2010. https://www.ayutthaya-history.com/Historical_Sites_MemorialSuriyothai.html.